Localization Framework: Retrieve translation from custom TMS

[YevhenK]

Hello, big apologies for dummy question, but it makes me crazy. I'm trying to create a spoke for external TMS and use it in Localization Framework. Have implemented Request and Retrieve translation subflows, created TMS configuration and applied it in settings. Request translation works perfectly, I get a zip file with xliffs inside as expected. But Retrieve translations subflow is not invoked (don't see any logs that are printed in the start of subflow, and don't have a rest call configured in it). Also I'm very confused that I can't find any info about conditions/triggers/buttons for invocation of retrieve subflow. So the questions are:
- Is there any button like request translation, but for retrieval? Don't see anything like that, but maybe it could be configured somewhere, or maybe some conditions should happen to make this button appear?
- When/how Retrieve thanslations subflow supposed to be invoked by the default platform rules? The only thing related to this have seen in 'enable auto-retrieve' setting, it sais that retrieve will be done daily by some schedule, but also no info on how to view/edit this schedule.
- Are there any specific requitements to launch retrieve translation? Maybe smth specific should be present in output variables of Request translation subflow?

Will be very happy if someone could point me to some documentation/guide/learning course for this topic. Have studied this https://docs.servicenow.com/bundle/washingtondc-platform-administration/page/administer/localization... and few introductions, but haven't find there needed details.

Big thanks for your attention and thank you very much in advance,
Yevhen

[ShivaniVerm]

Hi @Alex Coope - SN 

Thank you for your response!

We have followed the entire documentation here: Localization Framework Hub and Spoke architecture. According to the documentation, the Spoke Plugin should be installed on the instance from which we want to request a translation, while the Hub Plugin should be installed on the instance where the translation will be processed and sent back to the Spoke instance.

However, we have a couple of concerns:

1. We have already added the connection in the OOB (Out-of-the-Box) Connection & Credential alias record that comes with the Spoke plugin. However, we have not found a corresponding Connection & Credential alias record for the Hub plugin, and this information seems to be missing in the main product documentation. Should we create an alias record for the Hub plugin on the other instance as well?

2. We are able to save the TMS Additional Info details on the Spoke instance. Please find the attached screenshot for reference. Additionally, when we request a translation, the LRITM record is not being generated automatically on the Hub instance. Could you please help us understand if we are missing any configuration or steps?
   
   

Please know, in screenshot, Prod is our Hub instance and Dev is our Spoke instance
Looking forward to your guidance on these points.

[ShivaniVerm]

Hi @Alex Coope - SN , can you please respond on @JoshMartin question, we are waiting for your response! 

Thank you so much in advance!

[RonikaK]

Hey Yevhen—totally fair questions, not dummy at all! The Retrieve Translations subflow doesn’t have a visible button like Request Translation—it usually runs either automatically via schedule or when triggered through specific platform events.

Here are a few things that might help:

• Auto-Retrieve Setting: You're right—when "Enable Auto-Retrieve" is checked, the platform schedules it to run daily, but the timing and behavior aren’t user-editable via UI. It’s part of the internal job scheduler.

• Manual Trigger: If you want to test the subflow manually, you can create a Flow or Script Action that calls it directly. This is useful to verify that your subflow logic and output variables are working.

• Requirements: Yes, the Request Translation subflow must provide proper output variables (like reference ID, file path, etc.) so the system knows what to retrieve. If those aren’t passed correctly, the Retrieve won’t be invoked.

• Logs Not Showing: Make sure the subflow is properly linked and published, and that it’s active in the localization spoke. Also check Flow Designer’s Execution Details to confirm it was triggered.

You're already digging in the right docs—sadly, detailed behavior for this is a bit under-documented. Sometimes checking the default localization spoke flow structure can reveal a lot too.

[RiccardoP]

Yeah, I also found that RWS and XTM implementations have a Request/Retrieve Translation subflow that is not active anymore and that does comply with the inputs described in the docs, I think that a docs update is needed.

I had also another question, is it possible to define a callback url waiting for translation completions requests, instead of relying on a scheduler only?

[RiccardoP]

I can see that XTM leverages this endpoint when submitting translation requests

/api/sn_lf/localization_framework/handleCallbackFromXTM

but this seems to be an LF endpoint, or is it bundled within the XTM spoke?